Pittman Must Develop Killer Instinct At Arkansas Before Another Season in the SEC West

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Standing annoyed on the sideline of the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Razorback head soccer coach Sam Pittman switched on the discuss perform of his headset and laid into Arkansas offensive line coach Cody Kennedy.

Kennedy’s line wasn’t performing as Pittman thought it ought to, so he hauled off and unleashed a flurry of alternative phrases that he would later publicly apologize for throughout his postgame press convention.

“I must apologize to Cody Kennedy as a result of he took just a few lashings – I imply he took just a few unhealthy feedback on the headsets tonight – and I see we rushed for 400 yards, so I wish to publicly apologize to Cody Kennedy,” Pittman stated with a little bit of a chuckle. “He took it somewhat bit and I’m this and I’m going, ‘Hmmm, I ought to shut up somewhat bit.’”

Arkansas formally completed with 394 yards speeding, though it must be famous that 83 of these yards got here within the closing 24 seconds of regulation plus three overtimes, and managed a complete of 681 yards whereas not giving up a single sack.

That is with the SEC’s second main rusher, Raheim Sanders, getting injured after solely three carries, the shuffled offensive line with out All-American middle Ricky Stromberg watching starter TyKiest Crawford get carted off the sector within the opening minutes, and freshman E’Marion Harris coming in for primarily a sport and a half in a single night time.

The offensive line positively wasn’t the issue.

Pittman identified the issue. Whether or not he meant to stays up for debate.

In three years as a head coach, he simply hasn’t change into one together with his inside Steve Spurrier. The Ole Ball Coach could have misplaced his edge a short time at South Carolina, however again in his heyday with Florida, it was his objective to beat groups by 50.

Spurrier thought of it an insult to the opposing staff to cease attempting and detrimental to the event of his staff to easily hand the ball off as soon as the back-ups got here in. 

And he is proper. It is far more insulting to have a staff begin taking it simple on you and attempting to spare your emotions by pulling again. It is downright demeaning.

Except a taking part in floor is occupied by somebody who does not belong on the sector of competitors, having somebody consider you as so low and pathetic that you simply require their mercy is probably the most angering factor possible. 

The insult of Arkansas calling off the canines in an effort to expire the clock to keep away from making Kansas look unhealthy is precisely what the Jayhawks wanted to rally their method again.

“We went extremely conservative towards Ole Miss up 42-6 and so they got here again into the sport somewhat bit,” Pittman stated. “I attempted to not till we bought right down to concerning the eight minute mark. I used to be telling KB that he may simply do no matter he wished to do with it.”

However the Razorbacks’ drive chart exhibits the precise reverse. The Razorbacks kicked it into mercy mode again in the course of the third quarter and did not get aggressive till the sport bought beneath the eight minute mark.

3:15 3Q

Two runs adopted by a move on third & 9 resulting in a punt.

13:55 4Q

Three straight runs adopted by a move on third & 17 then a punt.

9:42 4Q

Three straight runs and a punt.

3:47 4Q 

This was probably the most aggressive drive of the sequence for Arkansas. The Hogs nonetheless opened with their commonplace two runs adopted by a move. Nevertheless, the move was for 43 yards to Matt Landers, giving the Razorbacks a primary down on the Kansas 29-yard line with the Jayhawks clinging to a single timeout.

All of the state of affairs required was three straight runs in the course of the sector. Kansas could be pressured to make use of its final timeout and watch helplessly whereas Arkansas ran down the clock and went up 41-23 on a Cam Little kick.

Following that common observe would have given Kansas the ball down 18 with 1:20 left to play in probably the most conservative of estimates offered both Rashod Dubinion or AJ Inexperienced did not discover a crease for a primary down.

As an alternative, Pittman selected to personally make an aggressive name on offense on second down with precisely three minutes left whereas in subject objective vary with the Jayhawks having simply used their closing timeout.

“Generally simply don’t fumble the ball while you don’t wish to,” Pittman stated. “[We’re] up 15 there. We had run them out of timeouts. I’m the one who informed KJ to run the reverse. It was there. They’d the entire darn staff inside and I believed we’d get outdoors of them and get the primary down and the sport was over. Sadly, it was dominated a fumble.”

Everybody will get one thing to concentrate on so far as enchancment within the offseason and ruthless aggression can be one for Pittman. He watched two huge leads evaporate and virtually dedicated the cardinal sin of pulling a Bret Bielema twice late within the season. 

As Razorback followers know, that can get a coach fired whereas strolling off the sector.

Trendy offenses can put up factors in a rush, so the overall rule of thumb is to maintain along with your regular aggressiveness till the variety of touchdowns you might be up equals the variety of minutes on the clock plus one. 

It is simply too dangerous and Arkansas is not a adequate program, particularly on protection, nor cherished by the referees sufficient to take the foot off the fuel. 

It is a lesson that comes with expertise and Pittman bought sufficient expertise in that space this 12 months that Arkansa followers ought to by no means see it once more beneath his regime.

HOGS FEED:

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COVERING RAZORBACK FANS’ EMOTIONAL CRISIS DURING TWITTER DOWNTIME

PORTA POTTIES INCONVENIENT, BUT NOT CHILD TRAUMATIZING LIKE WAR MEMORIAL USED TO BE

JUSTICE HILL WAS ALWAYS DESTINED TO BE ON COURT WITH MUSSELMAN, RAZORBACKS CHASING SEC TITLE

PEOPLE SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME TALKING ABOUT WHO ISN’T PLAYING IN EITHER ARKANSAS SPORT

STATEMENT BY LIBERTY BOWL LEFT LEGAL WIGGLE ROOM IN REGARD TO FANS

WHAT’S REALLY AT STAKE IN WEDNESDAY’S LIBERTY BOWL GAME AGAINST KANSAS?

DO RAZORBACK FANS REALLY CARE ABOUT HOW LIBERTY BOWL TURNS OUT?

WITH WILL WADE’S RIC FLAIR STYLE PERSONA GONE, PLAYING LSU BASKETBALL JUST NOT AS FUN

RAZORBACKS’ NUMBERS BETTER WHEN QUARTERBACK KJ JEFFERSON DOESN’T RUN AS MUCH

THE NIGHT A 19-YEAR-OLD ARKANSAS BOY COVERED THE LIBERTY BOWL WITH ELVIS PRESLEY

PREPARE FOR HEART OF BOWL SEASON WITH HILARIOUS VIDEO RECAP OF EACH WEEK

ARKANSAS FEATURED IN ANNUAL “WONDERFUL LIFE” PARODY

ANNUAL CHRISTMAS FUN AT THE EXPENSE OF THE TEXAS LONGHORNS

TOP RAZORBACK SIGNEE HAS NFL EXPERIENCE UNDER HIS BELT

RANDOM OBSERVATIONS: ARKANSAS VS. UNC-ASHVILLE HAD PLENTY TO SEE

HOW DOES LIBERTY BOWL LINE-UP COMPARE TO OPENER VS. CINCINNATI?

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